Megan Gilbertson, Author at С��ñֱ��app

Voters say yes to career and technical education in Cave Creek

Megan Gilbertson — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 16:00:27 +0000

High school students in Cave Creek Unified School District will now have access to additional career and technical education options starting next year thanks to local voters who resoundingly approved joining the East Valley Institute of Technology, also known as EVIT.

Cave Creek is one of only a few school districts in Maricopa County that was not part of an official Career and Technical Education District (CTED), which is formed when two or more school districts come together to form a new district that can deliver a higher level of career and technical education to students than the individual districts could provide on their own, according to the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

While EVIT has physical campuses, all 10 of their member districts also have specialty programs located right on school campuses. Across Arizona there are at least 215 schools offering career and technical education, according to the ACTE.

“We were one of only three districts that have high schools in all of Maricopa county that were not in a CTED,” said Cave Creek Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Debbi Burdick. “This is one of the few ways you can get career and technical education courses for your students especially those that require a lot of materials or equipment. We really felt like it was an area that was missing for students.”

Burdick said the district spent a year studying the impacts of joining a CTED. While EVIT’s main campus is about 45 minutes from Cactus Shadows High School, Burdick said the goal is to turn a vacant middle school building into a local CTE campus, providing students with workforce development options locally.

“Workforce development programs like EVIT are crucial in the effort to prepare Arizonans for careers in a range of industries. Students get the training they need to start working upon high school graduation or have a leg up in their post-secondary studies,” said Sandra Watson, President & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “In the ACA’s efforts to draw business to Arizona, an important part of our value proposition is the state’s large, available workforce that is equipped with the skills today’s businesses require. We’re proud (EVIT) is offered in Arizona and that it continues to grow.”

Statistics show that career and technical education has a direct impact on education attainment, as 98 percent of Arizona students who took career and technical education courses graduated from high school, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Arizona’s statewide graduation rate is at just 78 percent.

“We are thrilled that Cave Creek voters recognized the benefit of being part of the EVIT CTED,” said EVIT Superintendent Dr. Sally Downey. “We look forward to working with Cave Creek’s existing CTE programs and growing workforce and economic development in the Cave Creek community.”

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Best in Class: Ron Tenney

Megan Gilbertson — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 16:01:52 +0000

One hour northeast of Payson, the small rural community of Heber-Overgaard sits squarely in the picturesque White Mountains.

The local chamber of commerce’s motto is: “We have more trails than roads, more trees than buildings and more wildlife than people!”

The community is centered around the local school district, which is the largest employer in the area with about 80 employees. For years, area residents drove 30 miles to Snowflake for high school, but in the late 80s, residents voted to expand the Heber-Overgaard district into a K-12 unified school district and approved a bond to build the high school.

Led by Superintendent Ron Tenney, the 500-student Heber-Overgaard Unified School District graduates about 30 students each year.

Tenney is a third-generation resident of Heber, he met his wife in high school, and started his career as a Heber teacher.

“You have to love Heber to want to be here. Ron is local. He grew up here and raised his children here. He has a vested interest in our success and his motive is to benefit our kids,” said Marti Ballesteros, a fifth-grade teacher at Capps Middle School. “He loves his community and with that kind of passion you know that his heart is in the right place.”

Although small, that doesn’t stop students from exceeding academically.

Capps Middle School consistently earns top marks. Heber’s high school students can earn up to 12 college credits without leaving campus due to an innovative partnership with Northland Pioneer College, which video streams live college courses for students. The district uses Vail School District’s Beyond Textbooks curriculum, which Tenney said provides teachers resources and access to curriculum specialists that the district couldn’t otherwise afford.

“He’s an innovator and is always looking for ways to improve and be more efficient, because in the end, it’s all about the students,” said Capps Middle School Principal Tim Slade.

The district also comes with its challenges.

Since Heber is not a municipality, the district’s schools must have their own septic systems. Just a few weeks ago, Tenney could be seen helping to fix the school’s septic system. Many students live in remote locations, some without running water or electricity. This district has limited broadband access, so not all classrooms can use the internet at the same time. As a mountain community, they also have to deal with snow days, when it can sometimes take days to clear some of the rural roadways of snow.

But friends and coworkers said that Tenney does everything he can to support the needs of students and teachers and finds creative solutions for their issues.

“As superintendent, I can say I love waking up every morning and going to work,” said Tenney. “It’s a great place to raise a family. We have amazing students and a wonderful staff. That’s what keeps bringing me back. If the Board keeps me, I’ll stay here forever.”

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Local education funding results

Megan Gilbertson — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 16:00:55 +0000

Elections officials have tabulated all of the ballots and voters across Arizona approved the majority of the nearly $1 billion in additional funding for Arizona school districts through local bonds and overrides.

Across Arizona, 39 school districts asked local voters to approve 11 bonds and 31 overrides in the general election. Final results show 32 passed and 10 failed, providing nearly $650 million to 30 school districts.

The bond and override funds generate additional tax revenue for school districts to pay for projects ranging from new campuses to teacher salaries. Arizona’s school districts are funded by a mix of federal, state and local funding. State law allows school districts to ask local voters to increase taxes to pay for specific projects and programs. Public charter schools cannot access this source of funding.

“Taxpayers should expect to see higher property taxes because rising K-12 budgets mean higher costs for overrides, which are calculated on a percentage of budget. Interestingly, several bonds barely passed this year while several others failed to pass, particularly in districts with more conservative voters like Peoria, Humboldt, and Tanque Verde,” said Sean McCarthy, Arizona Tax Research Association Senior Research Analyst. “There remains haves and have nots in bonds and overrides with many of the largest districts easily passing every question, while southern Arizona traditionally has struggled to pass… any voter approved spending.”

Of the 15 districts where a majority of the schools are rated ‘A’ or ‘B,’ final results show 10 measures passed and seven failed. Both Mesa Unified and Tanque Verde Unified had two questions on the ballot. Final results show voters were split, approving Mesa’s bond, but rejecting an override increase, while Tanque Verde voters supported a Maintenance & Operations override but rejected the sale of bonds.

Across the state, voters rejected over 40 percent of the bond measures, but approved nearly all of the overrides.

“We are thankful that the voters of our district approved the continuation of the Maintenance and Operation budget override.�� The wide margin that it passed showed our residents support the programs that we offer from these additional funds,” said Tanque Verde school board member Carlos Ruiz. “The close defeat of the bond was a disappointment.�� We took a calculated risk asking residents to support two items and it didn’t work out.�� However, the capital needs did not disappear.��The board along with Superintendent Hagerman will be looking at how to deal with the immediate capital needs that must be addressed, especially aging buses and campus safety.”

PASSING –

Benson Unified (Bond)
Catalina Foothills Unified (M&O Override)
Glendale Union (M&O Override)
Grand Canyon Unified (M&O Override)
Mesa Unified (Bond)
Osborn Elementary (M&O Override)
St. David Unified School District (M&O Override)
Tanque Verde Unified (M&O Override)
Vail Unified (Bond)
Washington Elementary (M&O Override)

FAILING –

Bonita Elementary School District (M&O Override)
Humboldt Unified (Bond)
Mesa Unified (M&O Override)
Nadaburg Unified (Bond)
Peoria Unified (Bond)
Santa Cruz Valley (M&O Override)
Tanque Verde Unified (Bond)

On the flip side, voters in nearly all of the nine school districts that have no schools rated ‘A’ or ‘B’ approved additional funding.

In Roosevelt Elementary School District in south Phoenix, school board member Lawrence Robinson said a targeted campaign that highlighted the investments in school improvement is what swayed voters to say ‘yes’ to their District Additional Assistance Override.

“What was different in my approach is that I offered voters an honest look at what’s working to improve our schools and asked them to increase their investment in those areas while choosing to target and remove wasteful spending and ineffective projects from our budget,” he said. “This approach makes sense and has garnered a diverse majority of voters to vote yes on investing in the best future for our kids.”

PASSING –

Casa Grande Union (M&O Override)
Eloy Elementary (M&O Override)
Gila Bend Unified (Bond)
Holbrook Unified (M&O Override)
Roosevelt Elementary (District Additional Assistance Override)
Union Elementary (M&O Override)
Wilson Elementary (District Additional Assistance Override)

FAILED –

Buckeye Elementary (Bond)
Altar Valley Elementary (M&O Override)

Find the full list on bond and override results

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Arizona’s best schools spend results funding on training and salaries

Megan Gilbertson — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:01:54 +0000

From Colorado City to Yuma, this year’s Results-Based Funding schools are supporting students and teachers across Arizona, according to by the Arizona Department of Education.

Nearly 145,000 students attend one of the 285 schools that earned Results-Based Funding, which provides additional dollars to Arizona’s best schools with an emphasis on the top schools serving high poverty students.

University High School Principal Amy Cislak said the Tucson school earned Results-Based Funding for the last two years and used it to lower freshman class sizes and provide bonuses to teachers.

“It was a huge relief and celebration for teachers who were able to apply those funds towards bills, vacations and even towards major purchases such as their first home or even a car–two teachers were carless before this came in!,” she said. “This year, in addition to substantial teacher bonuses, we are considering the maintenance of smaller class sizes and professional development opportunities to further expand opportunities for students.”

Results-Based Funding incentivizes public schools – traditional district, magnet, and charter – to grow their impact and serve more students. Approved by lawmakers in 2016, Results-Based Funding provides $225 per student to the top 10 percent of schools in the state, and $400 per student to the top 10 percent of schools with more than 60 percent of students who quality for free or reduced priced lunch.

While Yuma County represents only 6 percent of students in all of the high poverty schools across Arizona, schools within the border county earned 12 percent of funding, according to the Center for Student Achievement’s analysis.

At Crane Elementary Schools District in Yuma, three of its schools earned the funding.

“We have so much to celebrate as we enter another school year with our academic excellence, nurturing culture and integral involvement in this fine community. Crane is categorically one of the finest school districts in the state,” said Laurie Doering in a post on the district’s website.

In addition to supporting , Results-Based Funding may also be used for teacher salaries and professional development. Districts and schools work together to determine the best use of the funds.

At the Phoenix Union High School District, Bioscience, Phoenix Coding and Franklin Police and Fire high schools earned Results-Based Funding this year. The district used the funding earned by Bioscience last year to provide professional development for all teachers.

“We are very proud that (our schools) earned this by being among the top schools in the state. With our teachers receiving the results-based funding in the form of professional development, we know this will pay additional dividends toward increased student achievement at Bioscience and across the District,” said Phoenix Union Director of Federal and State Programs Stacie Crain Hacker. “We anticipate more of our top performing schools receiving this funding and distinction in the future.

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Local education funding results

Megan Gilbertson — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 16:00:26 +0000

The results are in and early elections results show voters approved a majority of the nearly $1 billion in additional funding for Arizona school districts through local bonds and overrides.

Across Arizona, 39 school districts asked local voters to approve 11 bonds and 31 overrides in the general election. Early results show 24 are passing and 19 are failing.

Those results are likely to change, as some races remain close – for example, Casa Grande Elementary School District, where early results show its budget override failing by just one vote. In many of the smaller rural districts, races could be decided by a few dozen votes.

Of the 15 districts where a majority of the schools are rated ‘A’ or ‘B,’ early results show eight are passing and nine are failing. Both Mesa Unified and Tanque Verde Unified had two questions on the ballot. As it stands, Mesa voters are rejecting both the bond and override question, while Tanque Verde voters are supporting a Maintenance & Operations override but rejecting the sale of bonds.

Voters in Pima County rejected bond requests from both Tanque Verde Unified and Vail Unified districts, but approved Tanque Verde’s override.

“I believe there was an anti-bond sentiment in Pima County because there was a very unpopular county wide road repair bond that failed and Vail, a high quality and growing eastside district, also failed to pass their bond,” said Tanque Verde school board member Carlos Ruiz. “We’re going to have to regroup and see what we are going to do about addressing the many capital needs in our district.”

PASSING –

Benson Unified (Bond)
Catalina Foothills Unified (M&O Override)
Glendale Union (M&O Override)
Grand Canyon Unified (M&O Override)
Osborn Elementary (M&O Override)
David Unified School District (M&O Override)
Tanque Verde Unified (M&O Override)
Washington Elementary (M&O Override)

FAILING –

Bonita Elementary School District (M&O Override)
Humboldt Unified (Bond)
Mesa Unified (Bond, M&O Override)
Nadaburg Unified (Bond)
Peoria Unified (Bond)
Santa Cruz Valley (M&O Override)
Tanque Verde Unified (Bond)
Vail Unified (Bond)

On the flipside, voters in nine school district that have no schools rated ‘A’ or ‘B’ are split on whether to approve additional funding.

PASSING –

Roosevelt Elementary (District Additional Assistance Override)
Union Elementary (M&O Override)
Wilson Elementary (District Additional Assistance Override)
Holbrook Unified (M&O Override)

PASSING –

Buckeye Elementary (Bond)
Gila Bend Unified (Bond)
Altar Valley Elementary (M&O Override)
Casa Grande Union (M&O Override)
Eloy Elementary (M&O Override)

Find the full list of bond and override results . Stay tuned to С��ñֱ��app Business News as more results are tallied.

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School districts are asking voters to approve nearly $1 billion in local funding

Megan Gilbertson — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 16:00:58 +0000

Across Arizona, 39 Arizona school districts are asking local voters to approve bonds and overrides today.

The funds, totaling nearly $1 billion, generate additional tax revenue for school districts to pay for projects ranging from new campuses to teacher salaries.

Arizona’s school districts are funded by a mix of federal, state and local funding. State law allows school districts to ask local voters to increase taxes to pay for specific projects and programs.

Bonds: If approved by voters, school districts can sell bonds to fund school capital projects. Money raised for bonds typically funds construction for new buildings, technology enhancements, new buses and other building upgrades. From the Grand Canyon to Eloy, 12 school districts are asking voters to approve over $740 million in bond sales, according to numbers crunched by the Arizona Tax Research Association (ATRA).

Overrides: There are two types of overrides, Maintenance and Operations overrides and District Additional Assistance overrides.

Maintenance and Operations overrides: If approved by voters, a school district can increase its maintenance and operations budget by up to 15 percent for seven years. Funds are typically used to fund teacher salaries, student programs and general operating dollars. From Holbrook to Sahuarita, 24 school districts are asking for voter approval of over $145 million in funding, according to ATRA.
District Additional Assistance overrides: This source of additional capital funding if approved by voters is typically used by districts for larger purchases such as computers, textbooks, furniture and other equipment. From Laveen to Yuma, seven school districts are asking for voter approval of over $23 million in funding, according to ATRA.

Depending on the property values within the district, the impact on taxpayers can vary widely, said Sean McCarthy, Senior Research Analyst with the Arizona Tax Research Association.

If a district has high property values, they are able to take on a higher level of debt, which creates “an unfair arms race,” he said.

Arizona School Boards Association Director of Government Affairs Chris Kotterman said that many districts are using bond funds for building maintenance and modernization and override funds for “basic costs” such as full-day kindergarten and additional reading instruction.

“The School Facilities Board was created to eliminate the need for bond funding, but a school has to be overcrowded before a district is able to build a new school,” he said. “School districts are competing. They are competing with each other, they are competing with charters. They need to have facilities that allow them to be competitive.”

McCarthy agrees that bonds should be used to fund specific projects, but he said some districts are selling bonds to “keep the tax rate level” rather than tying the debt to student need.

“That’s not the way taxpayers go into debt,” said McCarthy. “They go in with both eyes open.”

Below is the full list on bonds and overrides compiled by С��ñֱ��app.

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School quality is on the rise in Arizona

Megan Gilbertson — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:00:55 +0000

Arizona released updated school grades this month, and high-quality schools are on the rise.

A-F school letter grades are based on student academic growth from year to year, scores on the AzMERIT assessment, high school graduation rates and indicators that a student is ready for success at the next level, according to the Arizona State Board of Education.

This year, the number of ‘A’ and ‘B’ schools increased by close to 50 schools, with 974 schools earning top marks.

“We set the A level to recognize distinguished academic performance that is significantly higher than the state average,” said Board of Education President Luke Narducci. “We wanted the bar to be high enough that principals, teachers and students would have something to strive for. I’m delighted to see that academic achievement is increasing.”

For Arizona’s employers, school letter grades provide a guidepost of quality within a community.

Intel Corporation started in Arizona in 1979, and quickly established a presence in Chandler, with 10,000 employees across two campuses today.

“Quality schools and quality education are critical to the shared success of our community,” said Renee Levin, Community Affairs Manager at Intel Corporation.

Levin said Intel continues to invest in the schools within its community, sponsoring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs in which “students are inspired to solve real challenges and think of themselves as innovators.”

That community investment helps.

Chandler stands out as a city with quality education, as 91 percent of public district and charter schools in the city earned an ‘A’ or ‘B’ letter grade this year, according to the Center for Student Achievement, a partner of the Arizona Charter Schools Association.

“There are many factors we consider when opening a new factory or location, including the surrounding community – and education is absolutely a consideration. We are proud of the nearly four decades we have grown our business in Chandler, and a strong education system will be vital to our future success here,” said Levin.

Businesses looking to expand in Arizona also ask about quality schools and want to ensure there is a talent pipeline for high quality jobs, said Rachel Yanoff, Executive Director of Achieve60AZ, a grassroots movement committed to identifying and closing skills gaps to better prepare our workforce.

“Businesses want to see that there is a robust educational system so that students and future employees are able to access lots of pathways into great jobs,” she said.

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Best in Class: Alicia Alvarez

Megan Gilbertson — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 16:00:35 +0000

Standing at the end of the school driveway, Alta Vista High School principal Alicia Alvarez greets students every morning.

But her commitment to students goes beyond a smile and a wave.

The alternative charter school serves students who may be academically behind, who have a documented history of disruptive behavior, are homeless or who just don’t fit into large comprehensive high schools.

“We come here every day knowing that we are producing future community members who can be self-sufficient and continue,” Alvarez said. “We want to make sure a student leaves here with a diploma and a plan for their success.”

Alvarez said many of the students who transfer to Alta Vista as upperclassman are significantly behind in coursework. The school uses a block schedule of 10-week, 90-minute classes to help students catch up. If they keep their GPA above a 2.0, students are able to take an additional class during each block.

“While we may be defined as an alternative school, we never want our students to come here thinking that we have alternative expectations,” she said. “Every day we fight the negative stigma that comes with our alternative school label. We have high expectations for our students, and our focus is to make them believe in themselves.”

Hadasa Arguelles, who graduated from Alta Vista in 2010, transferred to the public charter school as a sophomore. Arguelles said she struggled academically and socially in her large high school, so her mom encouraged her to try Alta Vista.

“When I came here, I finally felt like I belonged,” she said. “From the students to the teachers, Mrs. Alvarez truly cares about every individual on campus. When one of us is struggling, she will work with us until we feel like we’re in a good place.”

Arguelles, who is earning her master’s degree in special education from the University of Arizona, is now a student-teacher at Alta Vista.

“The atmosphere here of continual improvement is why I chose to come back,” she said. “After 15 years, Mrs. Alvarez still has a deep love and passion for students. She is the reason I want to become an educator.”

All of the school’s 525 students qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch, nearly 50 students are homeless or not living with parents, seven percent are not proficient in English and nearly 12 percent have special learning needs, but those statistics don’t stand in the way of the student’s academic success. Alta Vista is consistently ranked as one of the top alternative schools in Arizona, last earning an ‘A-Alt’ letter grade from the Arizona Department of Education.

Because of that success, Alta Vista earned an additional $178,000 in results-funding from the state last school year. Approved by lawmakers in 2016, Results-Based Funding provides $225 per student to the top 10 percent of schools in the state, $400 per student to the top 10 percent of schools with more than 60 percent of students who quality for free or reduced priced lunch and $400 per student to all ‘A’-rated alternative schools.

Alvarez used the funding to add five new classrooms to their campus. Previously, Alta Vista bussed students to the local YMCA for physical education and art classes. Now, students have access to weight training, graphic design and a dedicated room for English Language Learners. ��

“We’re working with the whole child. Perhaps not all of our students will go to college, but they will all work,” she said. “Beyond academics, punctuality, communication, attendance, and respect for the environment are key to what we do here because that’s something that’s applicable to the workplace.”

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Bringing education budgets to the school level

Megan Gilbertson — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:00:27 +0000

In 1980, Arizona transformed K-12 education funding, creating a weighted-student formula and “equalizing” funding to ensure all school districts received the same base level amount based on their needs, not how much their school district could generate based on local wealth.

But that system was built when Arizona government had only one fax machine. It was created before there were computers in schools and accessible internet, and even before the existence of public charter schools and tuition-free open enrollment between districts.

While our current system funds students, the transparency and reporting of that funding stops at the district-level and does not necessarily follow the students down to the school level.

State Representative Paul Boyer sponsored legislation to change that. House Bill , signed by Governor Doug Ducey in 2017, brings financial transparency to the beginning in FY2021– specifically districts and charters will be required to publish student-level funding spent at each campus, which will be compared to the amount the state allocates in its weighted-student formula.

In addition to Arizona’s law, a new federal law within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) also requires states to implement school-level financial transparency starting next year but is less complete than Arizona’s new law.

National education policy expert Aaron Smith with the Reason Foundation, who has studied the topic extensively, wrote in a that while funding is distributed from the state based on student needs, once the money gets to district and charter central offices, often-times they instead fund rigid staffing-levels “rather than giving principals actual dollars that can be spent flexibly based on school priorities.”

“Just because you fund a district based on students doesn’t mean that that money is going to be pushed down to the school level to where that student actually attends,” Smith told С��ñֱ��app in an interview. “ESSA and Arizona’s new law will require transparency around this, so we can see how spending within a school district compares across schools.”

Arizona is giving districts time to implement this new accounting system, and the Arizona Auditor General is working closely with educators to develop a reporting system that works for schools and is transparent to the public. The Arizona Department of Education is required to integrate this new school-level information into the school reports.

Educators need time because Arizona’s school accounting system is complex and clunky. There are only a handful of people at each district who are able to read and interpret the hundreds of coded lines that make up a district budget. Every funding category can be tracked, and, depending on how the district sets up the system each category can be 15-20 digits long, said Tanque Verde Unified School District business manager Adam Hamm.

“When I came into the district, finance was a black hole,” he said. “So I thought, how can we make it to where a principal doesn’t have to call the business office and wait a week or two for me to get this report to them.”

The northeast Tucson district was ahead of the curve three years ago and sought solutions ahead of the state and federal law. They looked to industry for a solution, contracting with Allovue, for-profit “EdFinTech” company that connects education, finance, and technology to meet the needs of education decision-makers. Now, Tanque Verde can be a model for others.

“Being a government agency and stewards of taxpayers’ money is very important,” he said. “In the past we’ve had large annual financial reports that have detailed budget information, but it’s disseminated in all of those code structures.”

With the platform, principals at Tanque Verde can now quickly access their supply budgets on a searchable platform that reconciles nightly with the district accounting department. Hamm said the district’s five-year goal is to give principals full autonomy of their entire budget.

“We’re trying to get a step ahead of the inevitability of those reporting requirements,” Hamm said. “I’m really impressed with this district and the Board being so forward thinking.”

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Arizona tax credit scholarships and their costs or benefits to taxpayers

Megan Gilbertson — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 16:00:50 +0000

For the last two decades, Arizona taxpayers have had the ability to receive a dollar-for-dollar tax break on donations supporting student scholarships to private schools.

School Tuition Organizations (STO), launched here in 1997, started with just individual tax credit donations. The program expanded to corporations in 2006, provided a designated fund for students with disabilities and those in foster care in 2009, and most recently a “switcher” tax-credit scholarship program in 2012 for students who previously attended a public school.

“Arizona’s STOs have helped match up scholarship donations to tens of thousands of low-income families and children with special needs. Children who face economic disadvantages and other major challenges are accessing some of the best private schools in the state,” said Kim Martinez, American Federation for Children Arizona Communications Director. “Education is the only hope these children have to achieve a brighter future. STO’s are invaluable to these families who desperately need information, resources and opportunity to help their children succeed.”

While the tax credit programs provide benefits to families, individual taxpayers and corporations, critics like the Grand Canyon Institute (GCI) say��that the cost per student receiving a STO scholarship is $10,700 annually, which is much higher than the average public-school student.

But Marty Lueken, an economist and education policy expert at EdChoice, said that GCI’s fiscal analysis takes the wrong approach.

“I think that that regression isn’t an appropriate tool for any fiscal analysis of a school choice program like Arizona’s,” he said. “Rather, using the state’s school funding formula is more appropriate to determine the fiscal effects on taxpayers.”

Additionally, GCI’s analysis looked only at a national data set to compare Arizona with the rest of the country , which Lueken said is “problematic” because as a border state, the trends of school enrollment, demographics, economic factors, and others do not represent national trends.

While GCI says those factors “would not have a separate impact on Arizona’s private schools,” Lueken disagrees.

“Economic factors can and usually do have heterogeneous effects. This is why economists, even for the most basic/baseline models, would control for state-specific economic conditions such as the state’s GDP and population,” he said.

The federal data GCI used is based on a survey with less than 100 percent response rate, which lists 320 private schools in Arizona, but the reported that over 600 private schools have participated in the programs since their inceptions.

Lueken said that GCI’s “regression model is terribly naïve,” pointing out that the GCI analysis does not consider the many factors that play into a parent’s decision to attend a private school.

GCI concluded that “many, if not most, students attending private schools… would enroll in charter schools if these subsidies were eliminated.”

But STO parent Jules Grier disagrees.

“The primary driver of our choice has to do with the size of classrooms and also the spiritual aspect,” said Grier, who has three children at Bethany Christian School in Tempe. “If we didn’t have STOs, I would try to personally fund their education, and if I couldn’t, I would consider all of the schools in my vicinity.”

EdChoice, in its own , found that tax-credit scholarship programs actually save taxpayers money. The study showed that across the country, the programs generated between $1.7 billion and $3.4 billion in taxpayer savings, which is about $3,000 per scholarship student.

Jason Bedrick, EdChoice Director of Policy said whenever a student exits the public school system, that system no longer bears the costs associated with educating that child.

“If the forgone revenue from the tax credits is less than the value of the average scholarship, than each student switching out of the system saves money for the taxpayer,” he said. ��“Tax-credit scholarships move us toward a more student-centric system that empowers families to choose the learning environment that’s right for their child.”

For more information on the four tax credit scholarship programs, click .

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